Wounded Pride
by EE's Skysong
Summary: After an argument, Kitty challenges Colossus to a fight. It's stupid, and she knows it, but her pride is at stake... and she's always wanted to get to know the other girl better. Kitty x genderbent Colossus


Disclaimer: "A long night spent with your most obvious weakness You start shaking at the thought"

(An: ...This is all because of a picture of Kitty and fem!Colossus, drawn by kchuu on dA. Once I saw it, I had to do it, because the only way to make Kiotr better is to make it gay. I also got Piotr's genderswitched name from her. This is just a silly fight scene because the fic I originally intended to write turned into this massive... thing, and I wanted to have Kitty kicking ass. And Colossus being smug. Hopefully, they aren't too OOC.)

Kitty lifted the old PC case with a grunt of effort. Old tech. Why did it all have to be so _big_? And made of metal? Well, at least she could pick it apart, see if there was anything she could sell. "You'd better be useful," she muttered, resting her chin atop the case.

By the time she got to the common room, she had to set the PC down and take a break. It was pretty early—only seven on a Saturday—so there were only two people there: Pascha and Remy, playing some gory video game that involved guns and Nazi zombies. Kitty rolled her eyes, but she still rested her elbows on the case and leaned forward to watch.

Remy _sucked_ at video games. By the time "kill limit reached" flashed on the screen, Pascha's headcount was twice his. Grinning, she punched his shoulder. "I win again. Pay up, little man."

Remy let out an over-acted sigh and passed her a bag of chips. Then a wicked look came into his eyes, and he glanced over his shoulder at Kitty. "Morning, _chaton._" Pascha ears turned red. Remy elbowed her. "Come on, Pasch. Be polite." Slowly, Pascha turned to look, still blushing.

Kitty raised one hand in a wave. She didn't know the former Acolytes very well: they had only started living at the mansion about a month ago, and the two of them—especially Pascha—kept to themselves. They were friendly enough, but they seemed to prefer each other's company over anyone else's.

Remy's eyes fell on the PC case, and he cocked his head. "Why you dragging a dinosaur around, _chaton_? The prof want to re-enact Jurassic Park?"

Kitty shrugged, patting the side of the computer to console it. It _was_ old, but Remy didn't have to rub it in. "One of my friends at school finally talked his mom into buying a new one. He said I could scrap it for parts."

Remy glanced at Pascha with another one of those irritating smirks. Anyone who didn't know them would think they had a thing, but Kitty was one of the few X-men they talked to on a regular basis. Remy just liked embarassing Pascha. "Looks pretty heavy, wouldn't you say, Pasch? Too early for that kind of weight-lifting, 'specially for the _petite_."

Kitty frowned, straightening up. The teasing didn't bother her—Remy and Pascha were best friends, so Kitty knew he wasn't being mean. But everyone around her had an annoying tendency to think she was weak just because she used "like" as often as possible. "I can carry it okay," said Kitty, lifting the PC and fighting the urge to make a face. It _was_ heavy, but this was a matter of principle.

Remy crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head. "It's not your capabilities I'm questioning, _chaton._ It's Pascha's sense of chivalry." Pascha looked confused. Remy faked a shocked face, raising his eyebrows. "No, really. Yes, Kitty can carry it by herself, but any polite person would offer to carry it for her. Or at least open doors."

Kitty's mouth twisted to the side. She set the PC down so she could put her hands on her hips. "Why are you so _weird_? I can walk through walls. I don't need somebody to open doors for me. And I definitely don't need anyone's help lifting things." She tapped the PC again, her mouth twisted to the side. She was too irritated to drag this out any longer. "I should actually get this thing to the computer lab now." She picked it up.

To her surprise, Pascha set aside her controller and got to her feet. Her blush had faded; now she was just smiling shyly. "I will come with you. I need to print a paper." She ruffled Remy's hair. "You should stay here, little man. Get some practice." Remy stuck his tongue out at her, but Pascha just shook her head and walked over to Kitty.

Kitty shifted the PC into a better grip and fell into step beside Pascha. She'd rarely talked to the other girl one-on-one. Pascha was nineteen and therefore out of high school, so Kitty didn't see her much; Pascha spent most of her time at the community college. What was she majoring in? Kitty couldn't remember. Oh, well. She'd ask some other time. Right now, there was something she was more interested in. "I didn't know you liked _Nazi Zombies,_" she said, glancing at Pascha.

Pascha shrugged, watching her feet as they walked. "John has an X-box. It is how we used to waste time." She tilted her head to the side. "Remy is much better at video games when he is drunk. It's strange." A touch of shyness in her eyes again, she glanced at Kitty. "Do you play?"

Kitty made a face. "I don't like consoles." She patted the case. "I'm a PC gamer all the way. Warcraft's _totally_ my guilty pleasure." She grinned. "I just hit the level cap, and—" She tripped over a fold in the carpet; Pascha grabbed the PC to keep Kitty from falling over. "Thanks."

Pascha released her. Then she blushed again, looking at Kitty from the corners of her eyes. Kitty quirked a brow. "...Do you want me to carry it?"

Kitty made a face, resettling the case in her arms again. "Not you too. I've got it fine. I'm just a klutz."

Shrugging, Pascha looked away. "I am just trying to be polite."

Kitty kept scowling. Her irritation from before came straight back. "I don't know what Remy meant when he told you to be chivalrous." Pascha looked confused—but she was probably used to Remy being an ass. Kitty was, too, but that didn't mean she was going to keep quiet about it. "I mean, for one thing, you're a girl, so you don't really have to worry about that crap anyway, and for another, chivalry's dead for a reason. I can take care of myself. I don't need a guy to be nice to me just so I feel good about myself."

She drummed on the side of her case, downright glaring at it now. "Seriously. I know that, like, ninety percent of the guys who hold the door open for me or something just do it because they're Sam or Kurt, or because they want to get my phone number. That's not being polite, that's just... self-interest." She glanced at Pascha. She had hooked her thumbs in her pockets and was staring at the floor again. "You know what I mean?"

Pascha blushed, shrugging. Her accent was thicker than usual. "I... I do not usually have that problem, Katya." Her eyes flicked to Kitty's and away.

Oh. Crap. Why couldn't Kitty go _five seconds_ without putting her foot in her mouth? Blushing herself, she clutched the case closer against her chest. Seriously. How do you forget someone's a lesbian? Kitty's skin prickled, like it always did when she thought that word. She'd never thought twice about how Amara and Tabby were more than friends, but with Pascha, things were... different. Maybe because Pascha was actually gay instead of a committed bisexual.

Kitty was tempted to just sink through the floor, but they were almost there, and Pascha would avoid her for the next few days if Kitty let the conversation end there. Pascha wasn't embarrassed about her sexuality—she had flat-out stated it when Jubilee asked her why she got her own room instead of sharing with another girl—but she also took things way too personally. Undoubtedly, she'd think Kitty was mad at her, not just pissed in general. Kitty had spent too much time trying to get Pascha to talk to let her off the hook now.

Clearing her throat, Kitty made herself look at Pascha like there hadn't just been an awkward silence. "Well, you get what I mean anyway, right?"

Pascha nodded, though she didn't smile like Kitty hoped she would. After a moment, she shrugged. "I do not think Remy was being..." She frowned slightly. "Sexist. Yes. He was not. I just do not think he realizes you can handle yourself."

Kitty quirked a brow. "Do you?" Pascha's ears turned red again, but she nodded. "Well, at least somebody gets it." Kitty huffed, annoyed again. "I can't _believe _him. I can kick his ass. I can kick anybody's ass!"

Finally, Pascha looked at her, eyebrows raised. Her lips twitched toward a smirk. Kitty glared at her. "I _can._ Why does everyone always forget I've got a freaking black belt?" Pascha shrugged, but she was still smiling, just a little. "What, you think I couldn't beat you?"

Pascha didn't answer; they'd reached the computer lab. Kitty set down the PC, trying to hide how happy she was to have it out of her arms. Then she stepped in front of Pascha before she could retreat to a computer, crossing her arms over her chest. Her ire was up—Pascha wasn't getting out of this so easily. "Don't you?"

Pascha looked her up and down. Then she shrugged. "Katya, I could snap you in half like a toothpick." Kitty scowled; Pascha quickly took a step back. "But—but I can do that to anyone. It is not a comment on you. You are a good fighter—I have seen you." Her voice was too fast, and she avoided Kitty's eyes.

Kitty frowned. She was... offended. It wasn't a question of vague feminist pride anymore; now it was herself, and her status as the senior X-man here. She was younger, yes, but she had _way_ more experience. Pascha had... what, raw strength? She tapped her foot. "So prove it." Pascha looked confused. "You, me, Danger Room. That's what we always do around here."

Pascha drew back, startled. "Katya, that is not—I do not—"

Kitty shrugged, turning back to her poor abandoned computer. "If you don't think you can beat me, fine. Then admit it." She glanced at Pascha; the older girl looked kind of like Kitty had dropped something heavy on her foot.

After a moment, Pascha shook her head. "This is foolishness." She straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest. "But if you insist..." She shrugged. "Name the time. I will be there."

She was right. It _was_ stupid. But Kitty was never a big fan of backing down from a challenge. "I'll see you at six, then." She turned her back on Pascha to go find a screwdriver.

"...If you insist, Katya." Kitty glanced at her, but the other girl had walked over to start up one of the computers.

O-o-O-o-O

Pascha was already stretching in the locker room when Kitty got there. Kitty couldn't read her expression: she couldn't tell if Pascha was happy, angry, or just resigned. For her part, Kitty was... kind of excited. She wanted to prove herself, no matter how stupid her reasons for this had been. Kitty phased through her locker like she always did to change. "Ready to get your butt kicked?" she asked, pulling on her uniform.

Pascha paused, one arm pulled taut behind her head. "Are you ready to... oh, what is the expression?" She frowned slightly. "Eat your words. Yes. That is it. I hope you are hungry." She grinned like a wolf—something she had previously only showed around Remy—and walked out into the DR.

Impressed despite herself—apparently, it only took a little hubris to make the tin can open up—Kitty finished changing. Well, at least this wasn't a total waste of her time. She phased through the door into the DR.

Pascha stood under the viewing window, leaning against the wall. "What sim will we use?" she asked, straightening up. There was no awkwardness in her face or voice now—she just looked excited. Kitty was pleased. Maybe this had been a better idea than Kitty thought. Even if Pascha _did_ beat her, at least they would have something to joke about.

Kitty arched her back, listening to her spine crack. "I hadn't picked one." She straightened up; Pascha had looked away. After a moment, she shrugged. "Kurt and I always do rock-paper-scissors when we fight. The winner picks the sim, but the loser picks the rules."

Pascha considered this for a moment, then nodded. "That sounds good." She stuck out her fist.

Kitty raised one eyebrow. "No objections to our contest, then? Even if I _do_ wipe the floor with your butt?"

Pascha smirked, shrugging. "What can I say? Senseless violence is my—my comfort zone. _Da._"

Kitty's lips twitched. Then she held her fist out next to Pascha's. "One, two, three!" Pascha kept her hand a fist, while Kitty switched to paper. Grinning, Kitty tapped her open palm against Pascha's hand. "You first."

Pascha rubbed her jaw. That excitement still glimmered in her eyes: she looked different this way. More like a teenager. Somebody Kitty could hang out with. After a moment, Pascha shrugged. "No powers. We fight until someone yields."

Kitty grinned. "Sounds good to me. Now, the sim..." She tapped her lips with a finger. Ah. Yes. That would do it. "Computer, run Random Doom."

Pascha blinked as the metal walls wavered and vanished, transforming into Bayville at night. It started to rain—sharp, hard drops that were almost hail—and she winced. "What does this one do?"

Kitty shrugged. "It changes every time. That's why I like it." She slipped into a fighting stance: a deep squat with one hand held in front of her and one hand over her head. "Now are we going to do this or what?"

Pascha looked at her. Then she shrugged and held her hands up near her chin in a boxer's honor stance. "_Da._"

Kitty just watched her. One thing had gotten beaten into her over and over again during DR sessions: never make the first move unless you've got surprise on your side.

After a minute, Pascha quirked a brow, then shrugged again as though to say, "Suit yourself." She punched with her left fist—a low body shot. Kitty nipped back and tried to knee Pascha's exposed right side, but Pascha was too quick: she grabbed Kitty's calf.

Fighting the urge to phase, Kitty shoved Pascha's right shoulder. Instead of falling back, Pascha just let her go. Kitty landed hard on her elbows. Before Pascha could move, Kitty brought her knees up to her chest and snapped them out straight, using her momentum to get to her feet. Pascha tried to punch her with her right hand this time, but Kitty caught the blow with both hands and kicked Pascha in the hip to knock her off balance. Pascha stumbled back; Kitty took the moment to get into a better stance.

Pascha reverted to her honor stance. She wasn't grinning anymore, but the remnants still shone in her eyes. Good. Kitty was enjoying herself too. They circled each other. Kitty stayed cool, looking around her. She was shorter and weaker. She'd have a hard time out here on level ground. If she could find some terrain that would give her an advantage—but they were surrounded by nothing but buildings.

There was, however, an open door behind Pascha. Kitty looked past it so Pascha wouldn't notice. She took a step back, brought her left knee up to her chest, and kicked—not trying to hit Pascha, just making her back off. Before Pascha could grab her foot or take advantage of Kitty's unbalanced state, Kitty brought her foot down and ran for the open door.

It was an office skyscraper: there was an elevator and a staircase off to her left, and a conference room with glass windows instead of walls off to her right. Kitty headed for the large desk straight in front of her. Large, three-hinged panels like science-fair presentation boards hung from the floor to the desk, nearly blocking it off. Perfect. Kitty vaulted over the desk and ducked down underneath it.

She heard Pascha come inside. "You challenge me to a fight, and then you hide? Not very sporting, Katya." But Kitty could hear the grin in her voice. Kitty considered telling Pascha she knew the other girl liked it, but that would give away her hiding place, and Pascha would figure it out quickly enough.

Pascha walked around, her boots clicking on the tiled floor. Under the desk, Kitty glanced around for something she could throw at Pascha if the other girl started going up the stairs or something. But, right on cue, Pascha's footsteps came closer. Kitty grinned.

Before Pascha reached her, Kitty jumped out on top of the desk. Pascha lunged forward, trying to knock her off her feet. Kitty skipped over her arm. As soon as she landed, she planted a foot on Pascha's breastbone and tried to push the other girl over, but Pascha was too strong. Instead, Pascha grabbed her foot and yanked. Kitty landed hard on her butt. She threw her arms out to push Pascha away; Pascha grabbed her hands and slammed them onto the desk. She wasn't wearing her gloves. Her hands were rough and paint-stained.

Kitty attempted to pull her knees up and shove Pascha away, but Pascha pressed closer, trapping Kitty against the polished wood. "Brute strength," said Kitty, wiggling. "Yeah, that's, like, original." She tried to pull her wrists free, but Pascha had too tight a grip.

Mouth open for some snappy reply, Pascha met her eyes—and just like that, the moment changed. Her face was flushed with exertion and excitement; the two braids she wore on either side of her face had come undone, and loose strands of dark hair clung to her cheek.

Kitty had never seen her like this before—so open, so alive—and it made her heart stop for half a second.

Pascha must have felt it too, because she didn't speak. Her face was already red, but the blush spread to her ears, and she let go of Kitty, stumbling back. She looked away. "This was a bad—"

Something boomed off in the distance. Kitty jumped, and the strange, electric moment shattered. "What was that?" Pascha asked, her eyebrows raised. She was still blushing, and she didn't look at Kitty.

Kitty shrugged. "Could be anything," she said, trying to sound normal and failing. _Why_? She shook her head to clear it. "The sim's called Random Doom for a reason. Usually, nothing takes this long to show up, but—"

The ground thundered again; the windows and doors shuddered. Kitty slipped over next to Pascha, just as a giant magenta foot appeared outside the door. "Shit," Kitty whispered. "Sentinels."

She glanced at Pascha to see if she wanted to call off the sim, but Pascha was grinning again. Pascha raised her eyebrows. "I am up for it if you are."

After a moment, Kitty shrugged. "I don't think it's noticed us yet. If we can get up to the roof, I can jump up there and short it out—there shouldn't be more than one, since the computer auto-adjusts to the number of fighters."

Pascha nodded. "Elevator or stairs?"

Kitty glanced from door to door. Then she grinned. "Race you." Before Pascha could react, she turned and ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Pascha caught up with her on the third floor. "Would you _wait_?" She was panting but still grinning. "Have I told you," she asked between breaths, "how annoying you can be?" Kitty tweaked a brow, slowing down so Pascha could join her. Pascha nodded as she joined Kitty in the middle of the staircase. "Really. You are always so happy. It must be exhausting."

Kitty smirked. "If you can make fun of me, then you don't need me to slow down." With that, she started taking the stairs two at a time again and disappeared to the next level before Pascha could respond.

When she reached the rooftop, Kitty was cautious: the Sentinel would still be around, but she didn't know where. The ones in the DR were usually a little smarter than the real ones to keep them on their toes. She opened the door to the roof—still unconsciously obeying Pascha's "no powers" rule, even though they were fighting together now—and peeked outside. The rain had gotten worse, making it hard to see.

Kitty shaded her eyes to keep the water out and looked around. The Sentinel appeared from behind a building; she squeaked and ducked back inside before it saw her. It was all by its lonesome, but that didn't make it any less intimidating.

Pascha rounded the last turn in the stairwell and met her at the top. "Well?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"It's out there, all right. It hasn't seen me yet, though." She tapped her lips with a finger. "If you distract it and get it close to the side of the building, I can jump off and phase through it."

Pascha sighed. "Always, I am the distraction. 'Make noise, Pascha. Do something stupid, Pascha. You cannot get beaten into bits like we can, Pascha.' It gets dull." But she grinned and headed out onto the icy roof without hesitation. It was slick; Pascha slipped and almost fell before she caught her balance. Kitty watched from the doorway, waiting for her moment. Hopefully, Pascha wouldn't have to get too close to the edge. There was no railing or even a ledge—obviously, people weren't supposed to go on this roof.

Pascha walked to the middle of the roof and shouted something in Russian that sounded very rude. The Sentinel's head swiveled toward her, and its eyes flashed. "Mutant detected," it announced. Its voice made Kitty shudder, even though she knew it was just a sim they could shut down if they had to.

The Sentinel raised one hand and sent a bolt of blue energy at Pascha. Pascha dodged, but she skidded across the slick roof. She almost slid to the edge, but she grabbed a cable antenna. The Sentinel came closer, raising its hand again. Its attention was on Pascha; it faced away from Kitty. Showtime.

Kitty ran out to the roof, planting each foot flat so she didn't slip. The Sentinel sent another blast of blue energy at Pascha; Pascha pushed herself away from the antenna, sliding into the middle of the roof again—straight into Kitty's path. Kitty jumped over her, but she landed badly and slipped, sliding parallel to the Sentinel instead of straight at it. Pascha reached out to grab her, but she missed, and Kitty kept sliding.

To stop herself, Kitty jumped again. This time, she landed correctly. The Sentinel shot at her; Kitty jumped left, ducking into a roll and coming out in a crouch. She grabbed at the roof to try and slow her slide, but there was nothing there. Pascha's hand closed around her wrist, stopping her. Before Pascha could pull her out of the way, the Sentinel blasted them again. Pascha let go in time to save their hands, though Kitty still felt the heat from the blast.

"Okay, I am _seriously _getting tired of this," Kitty muttered, pushing herself to her feet. She reached the edge of the roof and made a flying leap for the Sentinel, but the damn thing ducked out of the way. This one was smarter than the real thing; they just stood in the way. Kitty pedaled her arms to slow her fall and concentrated on her phasing, looking not down but over her shoulder to see if the Sentinel was looking at her.

It wasn't. And she wasn't falling. She must have landed on the next rooftop over—it had a large cloth awning that reached halfway across the street. Before she could turn and make another jump, the Sentinel, still beside the building, reached for Pascha. Kitty couldn't see her, but the Sentinel's arm jerked, and it slammed into the side of the building. Its shoulders were level with the roof now.

Pascha had changed into her metal form. She yanked the Sentinel's arm off, then grabbed its head before it could move away and slammed her knee up into its eyes. The Sentinel twitched but tried to pull away, grabbing at Pascha with its remaining arm. Pascha slammed her fist into its head, burrowing deep through the metal. Her hand returned full of wires and shattered microchips. The Sentinel sparked and twitched, and then it fell backward through Kitty into the next building.

Kitty yelped and looked down—two years as an X-man, and she was still sure her powers would suddenly stop working—but what she saw scared her more.

There was nothing beneath her feet: she stood on thin air. Never mind she knew she could just phase as she fell to keep her from hitting anything hard. It was impossible to stand this far up and _not _freak out at the drop.

"K—Katya?" Pascha called. She looked as freaked as Kitty felt; Kitty met her eyes, shaking all over. "Are you—are you all right?" Kitty nodded. Her mouth was too dry to speak. "How—?"

Kitty shook her head, swallowing hard. "I don't know." Her voice shook as much as the rest of her. "I've never done anything like this before." She looked down at the drop again and regretted it; her whole body locked up.

Pascha carefully walked to the edge of the roof, holding out her hands. "Can you come back?" she asked. "Can you just—come over here?"

Kitty almost looked down and made herself stop. She closed her eyes, still shivering, and shook her head—she'd lost her words again. Her brain was as stuck as the rest of her.

"Katya." The other girl's voice was suddenly calm, like Kitty was sitting across from her on the couch, not crouched in midair. Despite herself, Kitty looked over. Pascha's eyes were still whited out, but her face was as calm as her voice. Pascha held out her hands, keeping Kitty's gaze. Slowly, Kitty's shivers ceased. "Walk to me, all right? Do not look down."

Kitty swallowed hard. She—she could do it. If the weird power holding her up somehow vanished, she could just phase into the ground. She would be fine. It was easier to believe that with Pascha's calm eyes on hers. Kitty kept her eyes on Pascha's face and straightened up. When she wasn't looking, she could almost pretend she walked on stone: the air felt solid enough beneath her feet. Still, she forced herself to walk slowly and carefully instead of rushing over like she wanted to. Better to be cautious.

Pascha leaned forward and grabbed Kitty's hands as soon as they were close enough. Her eyes flicked over Kitty's face as she stepped onto the roof. Kitty looked at her, meaning to thank her, but only managed a frightened squeak. She swallowed hard. "Not gonna lie," she whispered, "I'm freaked the hell out right now."

Pascha nodded. "_Da._" Hesitantly, she let go of Kitty's hands to hug her. Kitty accepted the contact gratefully; her heart was still beating too hard, and she was not allowing herself to think about her new ability because she was sure she would panic again. Anyway, the rain was cold, and Pascha's skin was as warm as normal.

After a few minutes, Pascha let her go and stepped back, glancing at the sky. She rubbed her arms and changed back into her normal form. "Why is the sim still going?" Her voice was a little higher than normal. "Do we have something else to look forward to?"

Kitty blinked. She'd forgotten what they were doing. Shaking her head, she cleared her throat so she could shout. "Computer, end sim." The rain stopped, and the sky faded away; the building they stood on melted into the ground, depositing them on the floor as the sim disappeared. She managed to smile at Pascha. "I forgot you have to actually give the command for this one."

Pascha nodded. Though she looked freaked out again, she still smiled back. "Katya, can you do me a favor?" Kitty nodded, confused. "If you are going to develop any more new abilities, please... do not do it in front of me. I do not think my heart could take it."

Kitty blushed. "You're telling me. I thought I was going to wreck my uniform for a while there." She sighed, touching her wet hair. "Ugh. I totally need a shower now." Pascha nodded again.

When Kitty finished with her shower, Pascha was still sitting in the locker room, already back in her civvies. She didn't seem to notice Kitty; she toyed with one of her braids, frowning at the floor. Kitty phased into her locker and pulled on her normal clothes. Should she be glad Pascha hadn't seen her in only a towel? It would just embarrass both of them.

For half a moment, Kitty thought of that instant in the fight. The image was as clear in her mind as it had been in life; it sent a shock all through her.

Kitty shook herself. Yeah. Probably better she changed before Pascha could notice. She had no clue what was going on in her head.

She finished dressing and phased back out of the locker. "Hey." She sat down next to Pascha.

Pascha started when Kitty spoke, but her smile, when she glanced over, was relaxed. "Better?" Kitty nodded. She was, actually. Showering was normal. It was not stupid; it was not some weird new ability. "Good."

Kitty set her hands on her knees. For some reason, she couldn't think about her powers or her ridiculous pride, just... Pascha. "...Why'd you stick around?" Her voice came out softer than normal—why?

Pascha rubbed her neck. Then she smiled again. "I wanted to ask you who won. One of us has to brag about this."

Kitty rolled her eyes and gently shoved Pascha. "Didn't anybody ever tell you there's no _I_ in _team_?" Pascha raised her eyebrows. Kitty sighed, shrugging. "In other words, I realized I was being a total fathead, and it doesn't matter who won."

Rubbing her jaw, Pascha considered this. A slow grin spread across her face, and she looked over at Kitty again, tilting her head to the side. "You _were _being a fathead. But it is okay." Pascha got to her feet, looking at the lockers instead of Kitty's face. "I... I enjoyed this."

Something in Pascha's voice made Kitty want to blush. She forced it back and made herself meet Pascha's eyes with her usual smile. "Yeah, me too." She got up, and the moment passed, so she seized Pascha's arm. "Come on. Let's go tell Remy how awesome we are."

(Meh. Not my best, but oh well. I missed writing XME fic.)


End file.
